In the past couple of decades, kung pao chicken and kung pao shrimp have become among Americans' favorite Chinese dishes, second probably only to fried rice and cream cheese-filled wontons. In this country, kung pao is often loaded up with veggies: carrots, celery, onions, zucchini and such. In Szechuan, China, however, it's traditionally a much more basic dish. And, that's … [Read more...]
Cincinnati Chili: Make it in Your Kitchen
One of my favorite regional dishes is a comfort food popular in southern Ohio called Cincinnati chili. It’s somewhat misnamed since it’s not really chili as we normally think of it. Cincinnati Chili is really pasta with chili. A specialty of the greater Cincinnati area, Cincinnati chili is beef chili made with a mix of atypical spices (compared to Texas chili) such as all … [Read more...]
This Week’s Mexican Food Recipe: Camarones a la Diabla
Camarones a la Diabla - or, the Devil’s shrimp - is a favorite Mexican dish of mine. The chile-based sauce can be made as hot or mild as you’d like, but for authenticity it should be fairly spicy. I’ve eaten incendiary versions in Mexico. Take the time to char the main sauce ingredients before using them. This helps bring out the rich flavors of the chiles, tomatoes, etc. … [Read more...]
Easy and Delicious Shrimp Risotto Recipe
My favorite risotto recipe is based on one that actor Stanley Tucci (Big Night) uses, which he learned from his mother. It's called risotto con gamberetti or risotto with shrimp. Success in making great risotto is mostly about advance preparation and time management. Risotto, properly cooked, is a slow process. It can take about 45 minutes of cooking time (plus … [Read more...]
Scheff’s Table: Fried Cornish Game Hens Recipe
Last week I wrote about The Bayou and mentioned their fried game hens. The idea of frying Cornish game hens seemed like a brilliant one to me. After all, we all love fried turkey, right? So it seemed to me that this would be sort of a miniature version of deep-fried turkey. It is. I simply coated the birds with some spices and yellow mustard and dunked them into the deep fryer … [Read more...]
Easy Asian Carrot Salad
This is a super simple recipe that features the bright taste of fresh carrots tossed in a Asian-style peanut-soy-chili sauce. There’s no cooking required so it can be made in a matter of minutes for a quick side dish. Serves 4-6 as a side or appetizer Ingredients: 4-5 large carrots, peeled 3 Tbs peanut butter (I prefer chunky but smooth works well too) 2 Tbs c … [Read more...]
Scheff’s Table: Beef Stroganoff
One of my very favorite winter dishes is beef Stroganoff. Many American versions of Stroganoff incorporate mushrooms, but this is a simpler, more traditional preparation. It’s truly delicious and very easy to prepare. Don’t skimp on the meat! Use the best quality beef you can find. Ingredients: 1 to 1 1/2 lbs. beef tenderloin or other high-quality bee … [Read more...]
Scheff’s Table: Tortellini Romeo & Juliet
A while back, I created this pasta dish - which appeared in the Taste of Park City cookbook - as a Valentine’s Day gift for my wife. It’s an elegant but easy dish for Cupid’s day, or anytime. Serves 2 Ingredients: 9 1/2 oz. fresh or frozen cheese tortellini 1 tbsp. unsalted butter 1/2 lb. medium shrimp, shelled and deveined 1 tbsp. Mango … [Read more...]
Scheff’s Table—Skillet Roasted Chicken
There is absolutely nothing I like to eat better than a perfectly roasted chicken. And yet, I’m constantly amazed at how many chefs and restaurants fail in the mission to roast a chicken right. Granted, there’s no single method or recipe. I use three or four different recipes and techniques for roasting chickens, depending on my mood. However, this method is the simplest I kn … [Read more...]